One Last Ride
by saturnspell
Summary: Hermione is dying and Ron is forbidden to take her home to die. What happens!  A really sad story, sorry. Rated T to be safe.


One Last Ride

**I don't own these characters, just live in their world.**

"What do you mean I can't take her home? She's my wife!" Ron screamed at the Healer.

"I'm sorry sir, but the Minister himself has said that Mrs. Weasley is to stay here until her…" The prim, visibly shaken woman responded.

"What the hell for? You just said there's nothing you can do for her! Nothing!" Ron raged on. He drove his fist into the wall, not noticing the hole he made or the pain.

"Section 17, subsection 4 a, Auror Weasley, states that we may decide to hold a person, living or dead should we deem it fit" Angus Crown stated. The Minister almost seemed to be smiling at Ron's obvious anguish.

It took all of Ron's restraint and the arms of his mother-in-law to hold back the urge to punch the tall, gaunt, toad faced man.

"Not now Ron… Don't" Jean Granger said through her own tears soothing her son-in-law. "You'll regret it…"

"Thanks Mom" Ron said softly. She blushed despite the situation. It was the first time he had ever called her that. It had been five years ago that Ron had lost his mother, a death he had never truly gotten over and now his wife was at death's door. Jean too had seen death, her husband having passed away only two years prior.

"Why, Minister?" It was Rose Weasley, a powerful Healer in her own right who spoke up.

"Your mother was, sorry is still a person of great interest to the population. As one of the so called Golden Trio she should be given a state funeral and besides she has, so I'm told, a rare form of cancer and that should be studied." Crown said coolly and calmly.

"My mother is not some type of chemistry experiment or circus show!" Hugo Weasley yelled stepping towards the Minister. His large muscular arms were reaching out to break the man as if he was another opponent on the Quidditch pitch.

"Easy son, we'll work this out. No use you winding up in Azkaban for killing that worm." Harry spoke up, jumping between the Minister and his nephew.

"You best be getting out of here now Mr. Minister or I might decide to have a go at you myself" Harry said coldly.

" I think not, Head Auror Potter. I think not." Crown motioned to the four large security agents that were assigned to him.

He turned to one of the agents. "Make sure that Mrs. Weasley is well guarded and the whole hospital too, just in case" and with that the Minister apparated out of St. Mungo's.

The Breakout at St. Mungo's as it was soon to be known as started precisely at 12:35 am, when two hooded black clad men strode through the front doors of the hospital with wands blazing. They wordless subdued anyone in their wake as they headed to the second floor. For some reason all communication in and out of the hospital was compromised.

The larger, clearly older of the two dropped three Aurors with three quick flicks of his wand, blue sparks trailing behind him. He spoke not a word. The man behind took out another two. Healers and nurses dove out of the way, giving no resistance. Finally there was one lone Auror, young and inexperienced blocking the way.

" We can do this the hard way or the soft way. Either way, we're going in," the older one said giving the man a choice. The agent tried but to no avail. He was no match for the more experienced wizard.

"Dumb guy," the younger of the hooded men spoke.

"No, just loyal, but to the wrong idea," was the older, wiser wizard's response.

Even in her delirium filled state Hermione knew who her visitors were.

"You came for me…" her words were slurred from the medications.

"Of course my love," Ron whispered. He pulled a heavy woolen robe from his bag and wrapped it around his wife. She was so small and frail now from the wasting disease.

"Brooms" he said to his son and Hugo pulled two Firebolts out of his bag and tossed one to his dad. Ron placed Hermione on the broom and climbed on behind her and put an arm around her waist.

"Block your ears darling, this part's going to be a bit noisy." He said.

The men flicked their wands simultaneously and yell "Explodius" and the outside wall of Hermione's room blew apart. In a flash, they were gone. The whole breakout had taken eight minutes and no one had been seriously injured, except maybe the Minister's pride.

The duo ascended into the night sky and headed away from the city lights. Much to her surprise, Hermione saw that more and more fliers were quickly joining them. Even in their hoods and black garbs she could recognize her family and many of her friends.

One by one they would race in front of Ron and herself, make eye contact and send up a blast of coloured sparks into the air and then drift away. The sky was glowing with various shades of red, green, blue and yellow.

She recognized Percy and Audrey's pale purple streak and then Bill and Fleur's deep maroon. Arthur Weasley's heart shaped magenta bolt, his late wife's favourite colour, burst before them. They flew through it. George's wine colour streak split into two and then reformed, honoring his late brother. Next came Charlie with her mother. He steadied her hand helping her send up a shower of Vermillion. Tears were flowing down her mother's cheeks.

She mouthed "I Love You Dear." And then they drifted away.

Hermione cried out the same, coughing and hacking. She could taste bits of blood in her mouth. Ron pulled her closer. She drew strength from him.

Now there were only five brooms left. The next two shot forward in unison. Hermione could clearly see Harry and Ginny both sobbing. Together they turned and flew towards them their wands blasting balls of ruby red fire, which circle around the remaining brooms. They too disappeared into the night.

It was just three now, Hugo on the left, Rose on the right. With grim determination they flew ahead of their parents and together fired out a lone crimson line. They floated in the sky as their mom and dad flew by, together for the last time.

She knew where they were going, even in her increasingly weakening state, Shell Cottage. She saw the water and the small building, a place that she and Ron had visited many times. She smiled at the memories as reality started to fade.

They landed not at the cottage but at an old black oak tree on the edge of the property. Hermione tried to walk, tried to even stand but she couldn't. Ron picked her up and carried like he had on their wedding day. His soft voice was full of love and encouragement.

He steadied her as she ran her hand across the rough bark of the ancient tree.

"Lumos", he whispered and tip of his wand glowed, shedding light onto the tree, tears were falling freely from his face.

She easily found the spot. She could have done it without the light, with her eyes closed. There craved into the wood by her own hand was a set of initials; H.G. & R.W. forever always, all ways. She had done it when she was recovering from being tortured by Bellatrix Lestrange, when she knew for sure that her and Ron were destined to be. She hadn't shown him the markings until years later when they had vacationed as a married couple at the cottage. They had made love right there behind the tree! She blushed at the thought and then coughed up more blood. Ron moved the light a little to the left and there freshly carved was another set of initials; R.W. & H.W. forever always, all ways.

She turned to her husband, her lover, and her friend and kissed him.

"I love you Ron."

"I love you Hermione."

He held her close. Her thin body trembled and shook. Spasms of pain flooded her system. He watched as the light went out of her eyes.

Ron, tears streaming down his face, lifted his wand into the air and sent off a lone burst of silver into the night sky.

Epilogue

That night they buried her by the tree. Each member of the riding party took a turn to dig the grave by hand. Ron started the digging and was the one who finished it. Magic was used only to carry the headstone and for the engraving.

It read

Hermione Weasley

Daughter, Mother, Wife, Friend

Forever Always, All Ways

**Reviews?**

**A/N: Sorry that this one is a real downer.**


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